LOOOOOVE YOU ESTABLISHING!!! WOW, such a breath of fresh air. Incredible job guys. Atmosphere, Ambience, 5 star hospitality. The VIBE tho. Makes me wanna move back to Harlem to capture some of this energy. If Joburg, Lagos and HARLEM had a baby. Boom Well done guys. (Also Kaydene is light ) Sir John read more

I was at Native on Monday, March 23rd around 11 PM, and I feel like I need to say something about what I witnessed. First, I want to be fair--the restaurant itself is beautiful, and the staff inside were actually great. The service was good, and from what I saw, the group involved had spent a significant amount of money and even tipped generously. Everything seemed fine inside. But the situation with security completely changed the tone of the night. As the group was getting ready to leave, a male security guard (with freckles) approached the women in a very aggressive and confrontational way about a bill. It didn't match the situation at all, especially considering they had already paid and supported the staff well. His approach felt unnecessary and disrespectful. Then things escalated further. A female security guard with cornrow braids got involved and began engaging with one of the women who was exiting. Instead of de-escalating, she made the situation worse. It turned into a back-and-forth that should have never happened, and then she actually followed the woman outside. At that point, it looked like it could turn into a physical altercation, which was honestly shocking to witness. As a customer, it made me feel uncomfortable and unsafe just being there. On top of that, I also heard comments being made that were disrespectful toward Africans, which is completely unacceptable--especially for a restaurant that represents African culture. It's unfortunate because the restaurant itself has a great vibe and good service, but the behavior of the security team was out of line and overshadowed everything. Situations like this can really hurt a business if they're not addressed. I strongly hope management reviews what happened that night and makes changes to the security staff. Customers should be able to enjoy their time and leave peacefully without being approached or followed in that way. read more

Native has one of the best menus in the city. The food tastes good. The drinks are well crafted. The service is mediocre and unprofessional. I have been there twice. Once after church for brunch and once at night. I am a firm supporter of black business, but I find this one to be downright prejudice against African Americans. They only hire stripper type BBL waitresses as if that is all to an American woman's worth. The brunch was pleasant, but my waitress wasn't trained properly. She didn't know the food or the drinks or how to operate her POS system. Weeks later, when my friend decided to have her birthday dinner there at night, the whole vibe was different. We were treated like peasants although we were spending a lot of money. The security guard was condescending to us and polite to the African and other foreign women. They have a two-hour table limit as most restaurants do, but when we wanted to stay longer, they refused us a waitress. I did not mind going to the bar to purchase a second bottle and drinks. I did mind that they expected us to practically beg to be seated at a table that was not being occupied or reserved. It was like they were insisting that we stand after spending close to $1000 in there. It was humiliating. The kitchen closes at 1 am. Around 9:30 pm, I asked to order food because I was the only one in my party that hadn't eaten. Even though we were seated at a table the staff refused to take my order, stating I had to go to the bar. When I spoke to the hostess, I explained that I did not need a server, just wanted to place an order to go and she completely ignored me. I literally heard tell the other hostess that I said that I wanted the order to go and they both couldn't care less. I left a restaurant hungry, when the kitchen was open for several more hours. I ended up taking an Uber to get pizza because I refused to spend another dime in there. We would have been treated with more respect in even the most high-end white establishment. read more

This place is great for entertainment. It is a great vibe feels like a nightclub. The music is really good (but LOUD)!! Overall the service was not great. They forgot to bring us a few items. We ordered appetizers and only got one of them. Also my friend ordered a side dish that never came. I have an issue with the jollof rice entree. It's best to order the rice with the protein so you feel like you have somewhat of a meal. If you just get the rice, you pay $18 for the same size as a side. They really need to improve that on their menu. If you're gonna offer the rice as an entrée, it needs to be bigger than what you would order as a side dish. It was eight dollars difference for the same size. Overall, the food was salty. I didn't enjoy it, but it was reasonably priced. So if you just wanna go out and have a good time and good vibes and you don't really care what you eat this is the perfect place The drinks were very, very sweet. At a place like this was such a beautiful ambience I was really hoping for good craft cocktails and good cuisine, but it is not if they had just gotten our order correct I would've given a better response. The waiters were not attentive. I never got my water refilled, even after I asked. I am hoping they improve because I would like to go back again hopefully for a nicer experience. read more

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The food was great. Loved the ambience. Very great aesthetics. However, I went both Thursday and Sunday. Both days not packed at all. And consistently the service could have been better. Apps came out before drinks both times. No one came around to ask if we needed anything else after having our food. Sunday was probably worse. We wanted to stay longer but no one came by to ask if we wanted another round, or anything else. Took 30 mins for us to find someone to give us the check. I did expect better. Not sure if I'll recommend or return. read more

The food here is good; the service.... Not so much. You will ask for water no less than 4 times and will additionally have to pray for that question to be acknowledged. read more

I went to Native on New Year's Day 2026!!!! My friend was referred there by a family member. This is my first and last time going there: When we arrived, we had to wait to be seated...as we waited a couple that had a later reservation came in and got seated before us. Once we were seated the music was too loud and I requested to be moved to another spot. The attendant showed another spot which was not great but suitable. Now at the table our waitress came by and introduced herself, took our drink menu and brought the appetizer we ordered, She came back for or meal order and told her I wanted the Egusi soup with pounded yam.... She initially told me there was no pounded yam. She saw the disappointment in my face and then she says " yes we have it ", so I then ordered it, at no time did we get water brought to the table. We start to eat the appetizer and now the spice was getting to us and we had to flag down another guy to get some water. So now my dates food finally arrives and also my soup but no pounded yams yet. So I wait for what seems like an hour +, mind you the whole time I'm waiting not one time did the waitress come back to ask " how is everything?" Nothing!!!!!! When she finally comes back ( after my soup is visibly cold ) she tells me " I'm sorry but we ran out of Pounded yam "..... WHAT???!!! HOW!!!!!! then she ask me if I want something else? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!! To pour salt on the bad experience wound, she initially tried to charge me for the food I didn't eat, the she caught it and took it off . So when someone has a bad experience you don't get any comps like " let's take your drink off or something. Nope, not at this location... it's more like we'll treat you bad but make sure you pay us. I also didn't see a show at all. Yeah I'll never step foot in here again. Sorry not sorry read more

Food was great! Ambiance was cozy and the entertainment was good. We went for a family gathering and ordered most of the appetizers on the menu and each was so good read more

My lunch Order of snapper and Jollof rice did not meet my high expectations. It was way too spicy and the rice was very undercooked. The skimpy two pieces of snapper was bland. For the take out set me back $36, which included 20 percent gratuity. Ambiance was an A. read more

Native Harlem - African Near Me - New York, New York

A frequent visitor to Native Harlem. I have yet to be disappointed. Outstanding service, food and ambiance. Native is definitely a vibe.

If you are pressed for time, this is no place for you to dine. We were the first to arrive for brunch on a Sunday. Upon arrival we were assured that the hour we had before getting to the airport would not present a challenge. They did not have half of the items in the menu. The Nigerian and Jamaican entrees for which they are themed were not available. Our server told us they only had two chefs for the day. After waiting for over an hour and seeing many other tables being served, we asked what the hold up was. A member of the culinary team and server were both of no assistance. As we walked out the door, the greeter was too in disbelief that we had gotten no food. My suggestion is that 1) you not dine here until they have had at least six months of operating time and 2) they need to simplify the BUSINESS model. They are trying to do more than they can be successful at. Let's see how long this lasts. read more

First let me say the food here is phenomenal! I first went to scope out the place for a birthday party reservation. I had the stew and rice. Great flavor, but the proportions per price was WAY off. There was a very small bowl of stew...slightly bigger cup than salad dressing container and a huge amount of rice. It should have been reversed. My cousin had fish tacos. They are good. Just shy of two weeks of opening, the bar choices were horrible. Of course they had the proverbial Hennessy, Duse, Don Julio and Casamigos, but they failed to have other bar staples. The area was sparce and lacked med-high quality establishment. The bartender was great. Next...Birthday Party of 10 (4 days later). Sat late and the waitress took a bit too long for the basics (water and drink order). Told Snapper takes 30 minutes. Why oh why? Waitress did not ask what temp people wanted for Salmon and failed to get the right temp for Lamb Chops. We actually had to summon a waiter (there were 10 of us and it was a nice crowd but not packed). Waitress never came back after food was delivered and overall, it was a lack of attentiveness. The show...The idealism and creativity are a great concept, however, the show was NOTHING like advertised on Instagram or Tik Tok. The dancers were absolutely gorgeous, however, there was no commitment to a show. It was very blah. Most people complain about the forced gratuity of 20%, but I do not. However, I do require better service for my money. I will definitely keep supporting so that they can get better, but they have 1 more try. All in all, I agreed to try the Times Square location for another shot. read more

I've visited this upscale restaurant on a few occasions and I've never been disappointed. First visit the entertainment was a talented Bongos player, next visit it was a band and RnB male singer. On the weekends reservations are needed, all seats are strategically centered around the stage. Make sure you pay attention to the peppers on the menu which indicates the level of spiciness, however the food is tasty,plenty and flavorful especially the oxtail and braised beef ( tender). Although they emphasize having a dress code I have yet to see them enforce it as they should in certain instances . One serious issue is the fact that you can only get to the restaurant via escalator . One person in My party was using a cane and had difficulty using the escalator when we arrived the escalator was working and upon leaving, we had to go down using the stairs and there are a lot. Just check it out on Instagram for yourself beautiful beautiful Restaurant with very professional service Gigi read more

Food and drinks where great service was on point and the total vibe and live band was exceptional

First time here on 4/19/25 and waited 3 hrs for cold escovitch fish. I am a Harlem Nite and try all new restaUranus but by far is the worst. I should have went to Ricardo's read more

I like the ambiance, the music, and the food but the server was not good. She gave us the bill and tried to over charge us to get more in the gratuity until the manager had to get involved. I placed a to order to bill separately and took the original bill back an split the order and came back with 3 separate receipts and put some of the to go order on my bill and the other persons bill and taxed 3 separate gratuity charges on each bill. So beware of scammer. I'm from NYC I know the game. Comsumers beware!!!! The to go order was a supposed to be billed separately after we settled the main bill after we ate. I'm not cheap or will I ever run out and not pay. I will be damned if you try to scam me or rob me. Just like waitresses I'm a healthcare worker and I work hard for my money just like they do. This is why these small Black business owners don't last cause you scamming your own people!!!! read more

If I could give this place zero stars, I'd give it negative brunch points. Let me paint you a picture: It's noon. A party of five rolls in for what we hope will be a festive, soul-satisfying brunch. Two of us only have an hour--but that's okay, it's brunch, not a five-course tasting menu, right? Wrong. So wrong. We order apps, entrees, and food to go. No fancy drinks, just bottled water. We're told--surprise!--that most of the brunch menu is unavailable. No oxtails. No chicken and waffles. No reason to still be sitting there. But we're hopeful. We reorder. I settle for the basics: pancakes, eggs, bacon. How hard could that be? An entire hour goes by. Not a crumb on the table. Meanwhile, other diners who came after us are feasting like kings. Our table? Staring into the void. We finally ask what's up and are told: "We don't have staff. Dinner crew has to come in and help." Which is like ordering an Uber and being told your driver is flying in from a different time zone. Eventually--long after the two guests with actual lives leave--I receive my meal. And friends, it was a crime against breakfast. The pancakes? Not hot. Not fluffy. Just... cornbread hockey pucks. Thick enough to stop a bullet, bland enough to cure salt cravings. The butter tab didn't melt--it just sat there, looking as confused as I was. The eggs were sad, lukewarm, unseasoned crumbles of yellow disappointment. I asked for salt and pepper. The manager's response? "For what?" Ma'am. For food. For seasoning. For pretending this isn't the most disappointing $20 stack of regret I've ever encountered. I asked a waiter, too. He returned with hot sauce and a language barrier. We thanked him for his effort, but my eggs still needed CPR. By the time our entrees arrived, the appetizers came out too--because apparently, it's all just one sad, cold medley of "meh" in that kitchen. The wings were okay-ish. The mac and cheese needed the aforementioned salt and pepper the manager thought was an abstract concept. This restaurant also has a strict seating time policy. Cute, considering it took them TWO HOURS to bring out what a gas station could microwave in five minutes. Final verdict: McDonald's pancakes would have bodied this place. Don't walk--RUN from this brunch. If you like your food hot, your eggs seasoned, and your staff not confused by condiments--this ain't it. Never again. Not even for free. read more

We went on a weeknight so we didn't get the entertainment but the food was excellent. The manager came and checked on us. The service was great. Real classy and chill. Went for a friend's bday it was five of us. read more

Food was great- service not so much! Took us over an hour to get the bill. Server came out multiple time and did not offer the bill. Light skin man with a pony tail read more

Took my man there for his birthday. Food was really good, ambiance is beautiful, staff extremely friendly. Definitely a hidden gem. They have open mic on Wednesdays at 8pm, and performances Friday-Sunday. I definitely plan on going back to see the performance as I went too early. P.S. Wendy was my waitress and she's STUNNING!!! Everything about this place was a vibe. read more

The bartender was pleasant at all drinks weremweek and the food was good on happy hour menu. Had a table of ten there drinks were a lot better then bar. read more

I would highly recommend this restaurant. Food was excellent, beautiful decor, and nice music (appropriate volume).

The food is better than Lagos and love the service and vibe!!! The Ambiance is beautiful inside but outside is not it. Can't even see the sign plus you have to go through the dirty Magic Johnson movie theater to get in. read more

The ambience is gorgeous & the food delicious. the staff was nice and professional. I had the Jallof rice and red snapper, so flavorful.

This is the next best spot! The food is 10/10, vibes are right and the drinks are delicious! Our service was top tier.

The music was way too loud to enjoy good conversation with your meal I hope that changes. We were a party of 2 and couldn't get seated because of reservations even though they had availability read more

Dining at Native restaurant in Harlem for the first time, I was so disappointed "Is an understatement, what a joke, I ordered the rum punch that needed much more rum and tasted noting like a Caribbean, I also ordered jerk wings that were Bunte and undercooked and tasted nothing like jerk wings, the season French fries was very salty, the prime rib sliders were over cooked and burnt and top it all off the food tucked 40to 45 minutes to come and the dessert also tucked 45 minutes rum cake dessert tasted like a really bad homemade bread top with rum, we as black business owners have to and much do better and please, please stop saying that you're an African and Caribbean restaurant? Jamerican isn't the only Island in the Caribbean. read more

Went there for a birthday celebration. Upon entry, they asked for my ID, took a picture of it, and took my picture without asking. The food was excellent. The service was subpar. I will give them some leeway because there appeared to be only two servers on the floor, and we were a group of 12, but as a customer, I expect better. The server came over after we waited for 20 minutes to take our orders for drinks and appetizers. One appetizer came 2 hours later. Our server didn't come back to take dinner orders until we were done with appetizers, and when asked a question about a product used in the soup, she returned 30 minutes later with an answer and then took dinner orders. Again, the food was excellent, but some of us ate dinner with our hands because we couldn't get anyone to bring us more utensils. The hostess was informed that we needed utensils, and she told us she was just helping that person and walked away. She clearly didn't pass the message on because we received utensils after the meal was done. Our party discussed that this was not the norm but because we were there on a Wednesday during the performances, it was unusually crowded. Be warned because the food is very good but... read more

I visited Native for the first time on August 31,2025. The food was excellent and the Egusi Soup was delicious and awesome. Compliments to the chef. The staff Brook the manager was so good. She listened to our recommendation and made note also explaining why certain improvements couldn't be done, excellent manger. Our server Amanda was one of a kind, simply amazing. She explained the various items on the menu to my friend who had never been to an African restaurant or had African food. i shared some of my egusi soup. They were impressed and will order it the next time. The ambience is absolutely beautiful and amazing. Keep in up. Recommendations are: 1- create a simple plate with a few African items for those who aren't familiar with the food. 2- Fix the downstairs entrance so that people walking by will know that a restaurant exists upstairs. 3- The menu should let people know that the Chicken & Waffles is boneless chicken. Most people assume that one gets a leg/thigh or breast/wing. Wonderful Restaurant Diane read more

I love this place. The food is great, service is awesome. Then the host Sherene made us feel at home. She is amazing

Delicious food, EXCELLENT service. The hostess (Shereen) was 5 star quality, friendly and classy The decor of this location is second to none - seriously just beautiful. A real gem in Harlem. I'll be coming back soon! read more

Great service. Great food. Love the ambiance. Definitely coming back everytime I'm in NY.

The Food is 9/10, Ambiance 8/10 , service 5/10. After your first round of drinks & entree good luck seeing your waiter / waitress. She left us at 9pm, we had to flag a manager at 9:52. read more

The ambiance is gorgeous and the food is wonderfully tasty. The location is over the majic Johnson theater in Harlem

I'm greeted with pleasure as soon as I walk in the door it's very welcoming. The hostess Shereen is wonderful. Service is great. Food is excellent. Definitely should show up. The atmosphere the ambience is very exciting. Makes you want to stay longer enjoyable experience. read more

Amazing food great hospitality and beautiful people I will definitely come back lovely interiors

The ambiance and food was amazing. The staff were pleasant and accommodating. Our server Rose was awesome!

The food, the ambiance and the service were all phenomenal. I look forward to visiting again and bringing friends and family

The restaurant is Beautiful!! I had an amazing time and definitely will be returning , For a new location I will say my server was attentive, the food was delicious and the lineup for entertainment was also stellar!! read more

Joshua Hernandez is the epitome of what I look for in hospitality! I was blown away he engineered a phenomenal experience drinks were amazing and the food he recommended was great! I will be a regular for sure! read more